JILL PAINTER on GOLF: Keegan Bradley feeling the fire in his belly

THOUSAND OAKS - Keegan Bradley has become one of golf's most wanted, all because of the long putter he uses.

The 26-year-old Bradley made a name for himself last year by winning the PGA Championship.

Now, some are questioning his skills because he uses a belly putter, a club that likely will be banned in a few years.

That's made the usually jubilant, energetic, fist-pumping, high-stepping golfer annoyed.

Some golf fans voiced their displeasure over his use of the long putter through different forums.

"I've been catching such flak on Twitter and these other places, it would be good to kind of quiet them a little bit," Bradley said. "I had a guy yesterday telling me to send my application in to Burger King for 2016.

"It always feels good to play well, but this feels better almost."

Playing well in the face of Bellygate, now that's something.

Bradley shot a first-round 3-under 69 Thursday in the first round of the World Challenge. He's in a three-way tie, two shots behind leader Nick Watney.

The solid round was more satisfying than usual. The club is not yet officially banned, but some fans already are acting like Bradley and other long-putter golfers are cheating.

"I feel the USGA has put an X on our back and shined a light on us," Bradley said. "I don't know that's exactly fair."

If anyone thinks Bradley's career will tank over the change, that's just silly. Bradley used a regular putter until college, then went back to it for his first professional win on the Hooters Tour (golf's minor leagues) in 2008.

And he borrowed Tiger Woods' putter on the practice green earlier this week.

"I grabbed Tiger's putter, and all of a sudden I see everyone start to walk around and start to look," Bradley said. "I took his putter, which is about the opposite of what I putt with. It's upright, it's light, it's a blade, and I made three out of four putts from 10 feet. I made sure to remind those guys every time I see them that I made those putts."

When Bradley went to the putting green after his round Thursday, it was such a show that Golf Channel was airing his practice putts live between players' competitive shots.

As for Woods being competitive with the long putter?

"You don't want to see Tiger putt with that putter," Bradley said. "If it was up to me, I'd film him and send that to (USGA executive director) Mike Davis, and I think he would take the ban off."

The bellyache of long putter jokes might go on for a long time, as the anchoring ban with the long putter wouldn't go into effect until 2016. The stigma likely to continue to be associated with it might force Bradley to change earlier.

Even pros, like Tiger Woods, jokingly give the Bellygate users a hard time.

"I give him grief every day," Woods said.

The impetus for the putter change surely was expedited by Bradley's win at the PGA Championship, Webb Simpson's victory at the U.S. Open at Olympic Club and the fact many young golfers are learning to putt with long putters first before conventional putters.

Some players have sympathy for those who have to make the change, and others don't.

"I do have sympathy for all golfers because we all struggle at times," said Brandt Snedeker, who's ranked third in the world. "I don't have any more sympathy for somebody that putts bad than somebody that putts good."

The rules are always the same for amateurs, and that's the way it should be. Joe Citizens want to play with the same clubs and abide by the same rules.

Bradley hopes he will be viewed by the same criteria.

"I just hope that people look at us for the type of players we are and the accomplishments that we've had and not because we use a belly putter," Bradley said. "Now the USGA says it's going to be illegal.

"When we started putting with it, they were legal and they still are. It's a sticky situation, and I hope people can see through that."

Fans likely will just keep seeing that long putter. And by the feedback he's received the past few days, Bradley might want to make that switch soon and win with a regular putter.

"Well, it would definitely feel really good," Bradley said. "I've got to tell you that. Throughout my whole career, I didn't really get recruited and no one thought I was any good. It's kind of what motivated me. I'm going to try this to use as motivation, too."